The invention relates to a shuttle grip which holds a bobbin in a shuttle. Typically, the shuttle grip includes a pair of forked-shaped gripping jaws between which the butt of the bobbin is gripped with the thread of the bobbin being unwound from the spindle portion of the bobbin. The forked gripping jaws of the shuttle come together at a nose connecting portion. A bolt hole in the connecting portion is provided for physically attaching the shuttle grip to the shuttle. The gripping jaws of the shuttle which are the free ends of the shuttle grip extend freely into the opening of the shuttle for holding the bobbin.
During bobbin transfer, a depleted bobbin is removed and a full bobbin inserted by means of automatic filling equipment. This procedure, as well as the weaving operation, causes forces to be applied to the shuttle grip as attached to the shuttle. The forces tend to cause wear and loosening of the shuttle grip in the shuttle. Particularly this is true that forces which tend to rotate the shuttle grip vertically about the bolt axis during weaving and bobbin transfer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,032 an encapsulated shuttle grip is disclosed having as its purpose the imbedding of the shanks of the gripping jaws in a molded housing which extends around a portion of the shanks to space the gripping jaws accurately for positively gripping the butt end of the bobbin. Dimensional accuracy in the shuttle grip and completed shuttle assembly is thus enhanced.